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This highlights trip combines two very different countries in one experience-packed holiday. Guatemala is steeped in native Mayan and Spanish colonial tradition; you'll be introduced to both, including Antigua and Lake Atitlán. Belize, a truly Caribbean country, is laid-back and English-speaking. Here you stay at the remote Chaa Creek eco-lodge, and can go diving or snorkelling at Blue Hole on Ambergris Caye.

Start off in Antigua, Guatemala’s colonial masterpiece, and continue to the serene setting of Lake Atitlán, encircled by volcanoes, handkerchief-sized fields and tiny indigenous villages. Continue to Tikal, the vast ruined Mayan city where ancient temples and pyramids emerge above the rainforest canopy. Crossing the border into Belize, stay at Chaa Creek, an award-winning lodge surrounded by tropical foliage rich in wildlife, where you can enjoy the thrills and spills of outdoor activities, or just relax. Round off the holiday on the coral beaches of Ambergris Caye in the turquoise Caribbean Sea.

Holiday itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Guatemala City and transfer to hotel.

Day 2

Guided walking tour of Antigua.

Day 3

Drive to Lake Atitlán.

Day 4

Excursion by boat to lakeside villages.

Day 5

Day at leisure.

Day 6

Drive to Antigua via Chichicastenango market.

Day 7

Fly to Flores in the jungle Petén region; guided tour of the Mayan ruins at Tikal.

Day 8

Day at leisure to explore Tikal.

Days 9-11

Drive into Belize to the San Ignacio area. Optional outdoor activities and excursions.

Days 12-14

Drive/fly to Ambergris Caye, coral atoll in the Caribbean. At leisure.

Visit Us

What our experts say

I’ve always loved the contrast between Guatemala and Belize and so it made sense to bring them together for this signature trip. A great introduction to both countries, this holiday showcases the diverse cultures and history found in each region, from the indigenous highland communities of Guatemala to the laid-back, Caribbean atmosphere found in Belize. I’ve packed in lots of authentic experiences too, including the opportunity to fish with local fishermen on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala and swim with nurse sharks in Shark Ray Alley in Belize.

Signature Guatemala and Belize: Culture and Caribbean

Antigua and the highlands

Antigua was once one of Spanish America’s greatest cities, its prosperity and importance interrupted by earthquakes. Nowadays it is a peaceful, multi-national place retaining the best aspects of its Guatemalan heritage. Lovely to look at, it hosts lanes and shady plazas where flowering plants spill over crumbly walls, and pastel-painted colonial façades are punctuated with heavy wooden doors.

Boutiques, galleries, arty cafés and restaurants thrive here. The city is encircled by three volcanic peaks, along the fertile skirts of which flourish orchards and kitchen gardens. Beyond in the western highlands are traditional villages with flourishing markets. Chichicastenango, 1,965m, is the best known but others such as Zunil are also a riot of colour.

When to go

The best weather conditions in the upland areas are during the dry season Dec - May. It can be cold in the highlands in winter. Culture lovers may opt to spend Easter in Antigua. The busiest time for tourists is Dec - Mar.

Language

Spanish.

Getting local currency

Notes can be withdrawn using a UK credit or debit card from ATMs in Antigua and Chichicastenango. You may have ask your bank to authorise withdrawals before you leave the UK and each transaction is limited to about £100.

Time difference

GMT -6 hours.

Combines with

Lake Atitlán, 52 km from Antigua by road; Flores, for a visit to Tikal ruins, 1hr by air from Guatemala City (1 hour by road from Antigua).

Getting there

There are flights to Guatemala City via US and European hubs, the journey from London to Guatemala City takes around taking around 13 hours. It’s an hour’s drive from the airport to Antigua.

Lake Atitlan and villages

In turn cobalt glassy-clear and silver misty, mirror-calm and wispy-waved, Atitlán is one of the most captivating lakes in the world. Many visitors linger here, and the shores are dotted with international communities as well as traditional Mayan villages. The lake is fringed by tiny fields where smallholders cultivate kitchen garden crops on fertile soils, beyond which are fuming green volcanoes which cast ever-changing shadows over the water. Lakeside settlements, most easily reached by boat across the water, are enlivened with textile markets, each with its own costume and character: Sololá and Santiago de Atitlán are among the largest and most interesting.

Key Events

• Semana Santa, celebrations throughout the country. Maximón is paraded through Santiago Atitlán, usually on the Wednesday of Holy Week.

• Village fiestas: There are fiestas throughout the year in most Guatemalan villages, including on the community’s saint day. Santiago’s main fiesta is 23-27 Jul, Sololá’s 11-17 Aug.

When to go

The best weather conditions in the upland areas are during the dry season Dec-May. It can be cold and in the highlands in winter; but the fields bursting with crops make the landscape look its best when the sun does shine. The busiest time for tourists is Dec-Mar.

Language

Spanish.

Getting local currency

Quetzal. Acquire local currency in a larger town before you head into this region. You may have ask your bank to authorise ATM withdrawals before you leave the UK and each transaction is limited to about £100.

Time difference

GMT -6 hours.

Combines with

Flores (for visit to Tikal ruins), 4.5 hours by road from Lanquín.

Getting there

It’s a 2hr drive to Panajachel from Antigua (52km)

Back to list of places visited

Tikal

The Petén of northern Gualtemala is a vast lowland blanketed in dense tropical rainforest. Nowadays it’s sparsely inhabited but this was not the case in the past: the Mayan city of Tikal, which began its development before 250AD, grew to be a vast cultural, religious and commercial centre. Following its collapse (c. 900AD) its jungle remoteness kept it isolated until roads and airstrips brought it within reach in the late 20th century. With its surviving temple pyramids piercing the canopy, vast plazas, its wealth of carvings and inscriptions and its location in the midst of a wild-life rich national park it is now one of the continent’s most impressive cultural monuments.

When to go

Mar - Apr are the hottest but also the driest months, while in Dec - Feb it can be chilly at the beginning and end of the day. Most rain falls between May - Oct when there are plenty of mosquitoes and other insects.

Language

Spanish.

Getting local currency

Quetzal. Dollars can be exchanged in banks, hotels and travel agencies in Flores, and there are a couple of ATMs where notes may be withdrawn using a UK credit or debit card. (Best not to rely on these and use this method in a larger town before travelling to the Petén). You may have ask your bank to authorise withdrawals before you leave the UK and each transaction is limited to about £100.

Time difference

GMT -6 hours.

Combines with

Belize: Belize City is a 4-5 hours drive east from Flores (220 km) crossing the land border into western Belize.

Getting there

There are daily flights from Guatemala City (1 hour) to Flores. From here it’s a 1 hour 15mins drive to Tikal.

Back to list of places visited

Maya mountains and jungle

The unspoilt interior of Belize harbours some of Central America’s loveliest landscapes and a host of little-visited Mayan sites. In the north, wildlife sanctuaries rub shoulders with sugar cane fields, and recently uncovered Mayan cities poke their head above the canopy of dense jungle. The river banks from the Mennonite village of Shipyard are decorated with tangled bromeliads hanging from tropical trees. Nearby are the Mayan ruins of Lamanai with almost 700 structures.

West towards Guatemala, in the Cayo District, the Macal River offers a water-borne way to explore the forest scenery; and the jagged peaks and gorges of ancient Mountain Pine Ridge are just begging to be explored.

When's the best time to go Belize's Mayan mountains?

The best weather conditions are during the dry season Dec-May. It can be cool in the highlands in winter, while the jungle areas are hot and humid all year round. There’s a low risk of tropical storms or hurricanes Jun-Nov. The busiest time for tourists is Dec-Mar.

What's the official language of Belize Mayan mountains?

English.

How do I get local currency in Belize Mayan mountains?

Belizean dollar. Notes can be obtained from money exchanges and from banks which will supply advances on a debit or credit card. There are few, if any, ATMs outside Belize City where you can use a UK credit or debit card.

What's the time difference between Belize Mayan mountains and UK?

GMT -6 hrs.

What places combine well with Belize Mayan mountains?

A beach stay on one of Belize’s coral cayes, accessible from Belize City by air or boat;a visit to neighbouring Guatemala, with its Latin and Mayan cultural heritage, there’s a road link to the Mayan ruins at Tikal in the jungle Petén; southern Mexico, crossing the land border at Chetumal.

How do I get to Belize Mayan mountains?

The north: fly from Belize City to Gallon Jug (30mins) followed by a short drive to Chan Chich. By road and river via Orange Walk from Belize City to Lamanai (2hrs). For the Macal River, travel from Belize to San Ignacio, 115km.

Caribbean cayes and coast

With its musical inspiration and cuisine emanating from the reggae and rasta Caribbean culture, and everyone speaking English, Belize still has its own national identity, no more so than on the coast.

There are sugar-white Caribbean beaches on the mainland and the offshore cayes with coral reefs lying just offshore and wrecks harbouring a wealth of underwater life. Ambergris Caye, the largest island, offers access to the reef. Caye Caulker, a lobster-fishing island, is a long-time hippy paradise which has retained its easy-going atmosphere. Placencia, a barefoot resort currently under development, is at the tip of a spidery spit of land south of the little clap-board fishing port of Dangriga.

When's the best time to visit the Caribbean in Belize?

The best weather conditions are during the dry season Dec-May, when temperatures hover around 30°C. There’s a risk of tropical storms or hurricanes June-Nov. The busiest time for tourists is Dec-Mar.

What's the official language of Belize?

English

How do I get to Belize's Caribbean coast and cays?

The cayes, and the southern resorts such as Placencia, are accessible by light aircraft and boat from Belize City.

What are the festivals, cultural and sporting events in Belize's Caribbean?

Belize chocolate festival: Toledo in southern Belize, 3 days in May annually.

How do I get local money in Belize's Caribbean coast and cays?

Belizean dollar. Notes can be obtained from money exchanges and from banks (Ambergris and Caye Caulker have them) which will supply advances on a debit or credit card. There are ATMs in Belize City where you can use a UK credit or debit card. You may have to get authorisation from your bank first, and withdrawal amounts may be limited. Time difference: GMT -6 hrs.

Things to do on this holiday

Fish with local fishermen on Lake Atitlan

Visit Tikal, ruined Mayan city

Visit Chichicastenango market

Walking tour of Antigua

Go Caribbean snorkelling off Belize's coast

Snorkel in Shark Ray Alley

To get closer to the rich culture that surrounds Lake Atitlán, try this authentic experience in the company of local fishermen, who will take you out with them to demonstrate their age-old fishing methods and traditions.

First you’ll cross the full length of the glittering lake by private boat to reach the rustic town of San Juan la Laguna. Here you will join fishermen from the lakeside community as they make their daily voyage out onto the sapphire waters of the lake to provide for their families, just as countless generations of ancestors have done before them.

With its tallest temples jutting majestically through the thick jungle canopy and others still lying half-buried in vegetation, Tikal is an astonishingly atmospheric ancient city and perhaps the apex of Mayan architecture and artistry.

The city flourished in the Classic Period of the Mayan civilisation, between about 200 and 900 AD. During this time it was one of the most powerful cities in the empire and a sense of its importance endures in the vast open plazas, towering pyramids and extraordinary carvings and stelae that make up the site.

The most magical way to visit Tikal is to arrive just before dawn to climb one of the ancient step pyramids and watch the sun rise over the awakening rainforest. Wildlife is abundant here and will certainly make you aware of its presence – you can't miss the sonic boom of a howler monkey's call, audible from three miles away.

While only a fraction of Tikal has been excavated, much is known about its inhabitants and their lifestyles, so to fully appreciate the ruins it's well worth exploring with a guide who can explain the significance of the structures and the ancient rituals that were once performed in them.

A visit to the market town of Chichicastenango gives a strong sense of Guatemala’s indigenous heritage and the age-old Mayan belief systems that have fused with the Catholicism imposed by Spanish colonisers. The result is a unique blend in which European religious traditions mingle with ancient mysticism and shamanism.

On Thursdays and Sundays, the streets come alive with commerce and colour as Chichicastenango plays host to Guatemala’s largest open-air market. Indigenous communities from across the area congregate in spectacular traditional dress to trade their produce and sell traditional handicrafts, masks, textiles and figurines. You can also mingle with the locals at the market’s comedores (basic food stalls) which offer some intriguing, if not always appetising specialities.

Meanwhile vendors selling bundles of flowers spill across the picturesque steps of the church of Santo Tomás, a focal point for traditional rituals. On market days these steps – one for each of the 18 months of the Mayan calendar – are shrouded in a perpetual mist of incense.

Graceful Antigua is without doubt one of the prettiest cities in Central America, and with its cobbled streets and compact historic core it is ideal for exploring on foot.

Your guide will lead you through Antigua’s flower-filled plazas and shaded streets, lined with baroque frontages. Along the way there are visits to a number of the city's most significant churches, convents and historic buildings, where you will learn about the city’s prosperous past.

Antigua’s beautiful surroundings have been both a blessing and a downfall – modern-day visitors may see the glorious views of volcanic peaks and lushly forested foothills as all part of the charm, but devastating natural disasters in the 18th century laid the city low and turned much of its colonial architecture to ruins. Today these picturesque vestiges of Old Antigua sit alongside leafy gardens and lovingly restored buildings, resulting in an architectural mosaic of different eras.

You may also opt to begin the day by travelling to the village of San Antonio Aguas Calientes, 10 minutes' drive from Antigua, famous for its textiles and handicrafts, and enjoy a guided tour of a coffee farm.

One of the most thrilling ways to get up close to Belize's sea life is to take a boat trip out to Shark Ray Alley, where you can jump into a clear turquoise sea swarming with shadowy nurse sharks and graceful sting rays. While it may sound like a leap of faith, there is no element of danger – in fact these menacing-looking sharks don't even have teeth.

Local fisherman were the first to notice the huge congregations of rays and sharks frequenting this narrow strip of reef in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and it's now a popular place to try out a daredevil snorkeling experience.

Accommodation on this holiday

Villa Maya

Posada de Don Rodrigo Antigua

The Lodge at Chaa Creek

Victoria House

The secluded Villa Maya lodge is on the shores of tranquil Lake Petén, 45 minutes' drive from the majestic Mayan site of Tikal, and 10 minutes' drive from the nearest town of Flores.

The bright and modern rooms sit within octagonal blocks or cabins, each with ceiling fan, private bathroom and small balcony with lake views. In keeping with the tranquil atmosphere, there is no phone or TV.

Facilities include an attractive swimming pool (with a smaller plunge pool), thatched restaurant and a bar overlooking the lake.

Guests can hire kayaks and mountain bikes to explore the many well-marked tracks around the property.

Just a few minutes' walk from Antigua's main square, the attractive Posada de Don Rodrigo oozes a sense of tranquillity that makes it seem much further removed from the city's hustle and bustle than its location would suggest. Foliage-drenched courtyards and gardens overflowing with colourful flowers are particular highlights.

The cosy rooms – some of which come with a fireplace – occupy three colonial buildings set around attractive stone-flagged patios, and are tastefully decorated with antique furniture and Mayan textiles.

Guests can eat inside or in the courtyard restaurant, which regularly hosts live Marimba music. The hotel's local popularity, good food, charming garden setting and sun deck overlooking the tiled roofs of the city make it a warmly recommended base for exploring Antigua.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek is a delightful jungle hideaway, owned by an Anglo-American couple, set deep within a valley in a large private area blanketed in lush rainforest, close to the picturesque Macal River. The atmosphere is extremely peaceful and relaxing, and service is exemplary.

The accommodation is particularly attractive for families, with thatched cottages and villas scattered throughout the grounds, offering space and privacy.

You can relax by the infinity pool surrounded by flower-filled gardens or in the blissful spa, but if any members of your family are inclined to explore there are loads of organised activities led by naturalist guides. Choose between a canoe trip down the river, horse riding, mountain biking, nature trails and a tour of the butterfly farm. Other adventures include bird watching, canopy ziplining, cave canoeing or even an overnight excursion to visit the Mayan ruins at Tikal in neighbouring Guatemala.

The family-friendly, plantation-style Victoria House hotel harks back to British colonial times but without the formality. All accommodation are equipped with 2 bathrooms, while a generous infinity pool overlooks the glittering turquoise ocean. While here you can take your pick between palm-shaded relaxation and a selection of activities into which to channel your energy.The spa (opened 2016) has four treatment salons, a fitness centre and a large enclosed courtyard which is also utilised for yoga. There are over 36 enticing treatments for you to choose from including massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, body wraps and scrubs.

The hotel can organise all sorts of day trips to help make the most of a stay here, including bird-watching tours, cave tubing, canopy ziplining and a visit to the excellent Belize Zoo. Snorkelling and kayaking (complimentary equipment provided) are very popular and with good reason – the coral reef is one of the best in the world for viewing tropical marine life. Back on land, you can borrow a bike or even hire a golf cart to get around at the lazy pace that epitomises the Caribbean.

Speak to an expert Travel Consultant or send us your enquiry today.

Tailor-made holiday

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Signature Guatemala and Belize: Culture and Caribbean

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